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The Space Party (film)
The Space Party is a 1987 American space adventure romance film directed and co-written by astronaut Raphael J. Chryslar and cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev, and produced by Nebula Cinematography Division on behalf of the Kerbal Geographic Society. It stars Clare and Phillip Kerman, Raphael J. Chryslar, Saulo Meneghetti, Michael Milliner, Tiago Iorczeski and Gene Kranz. The movie depics an earthling husband reuniting with his wife in space, who is a Skylab astronaut on another long expedition. Since her birthday is coming up, the station crew throw a massive first-ever space party to celebrate, with only days of notice by mission control to quickly launch the special guest in time. The production company (and with Chryslar's help) went to great lengths to capture and assemble a technically and scientifically accurate movie, with most scenes being filmed in real time in space aboard and during the real Skylab Workshop Station birthday party on May 4th 1986; the inagural launch of the Soyuz-Atlantis SA-2 mission, orbital rendezvous footage from a reconnaissance satellite and exclusive filming inside an active mission control facility. Released to cinemas in the United States on Valentine's Day, 1987, ''The Space Party ''was nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture (winning for Best Filming Activity and Best Sound). In total, the film grossed over $2.3 billion worldwide during its theatrical releases. The film was very positively received by critics. Plot In late April 1986, Soyuz-Laptop Expedition 13 blasts off from the Kennedy Space Center to begin an 8 month long-duration mission to the Skylab Workshop Station, with Clare Kerman (who is the assistant CEO of SSPX) and her personal friend of world-renowned space architect John Chryslar aboard, along with his college friends and colleagues. On April 29th, Clare's Husband Phillip - who works as an educator at the European Space Agency ESTEC facility in the Netherlands, is aware that his wife's birthday is coming up, and will her first in space in her space career. Since he misses her so much, and knows he's not an astronaut (and becoming one will take months to apply and train), Phillip calls NASA management to negotiate a super-quick rocket launch to quickly send him up to the station. He doesn't want to spend her birthday alone on Earth, and has done a lot of outstanding educational work for the space agency. However his idea is initally denied due to logisitcal and safety concerns with launching an unqualified indivdual within a week to the Skylab, even though a launch on May 2nd is scheduled with the new Soyuz-Atlantis VIP launcher. Phillip than emails J. Chryslar explaining his plan, who he instantly approves of. He then contacts Gene Kranz with his verdict, stating that Phillip's request will make good use of one available seat for the SA-2 mission - which will launch with three other crew: a DJ, Musician and a newly qualified Pilot. His plan also allows for a major leap in Skylab public relations by throwing the first ever space party. After several hours of planning via email, Gene Kranz gives the offical go-ahead for Phillip to be flown in to Kennedy Space Center for 'urgent' training and assignment for SA-2; much to Phillip's euphoria and relief. On the evening of May 1st 1986, ESA airlines flight 143 carrying the SA-2 crew and Phillip Kerman departs from Amsterdam Schiphol, en-route to the Kenendy Space Center. Approximately 9 hours later, the jet reaches US airspace but encounters turbulence during the landing maneuvers, requiring a turnaround and re-approach. The pilot — Esteven Kerman, manages to land the plane safely just after 9am local time on Runway 27. Under a beautiful sunny blue sky, the jet taxis to the Eugene F. Kranz Administration Building at LC-39, where the crew disembarks and are greeted by their trainer Danielle Dyson. The four future space travelers are briefed on quick space facts and the training agenda before signing in at reception and filling out NASA assignment forms in the administration building. Meanwhile George Dyson drives to the Space Station Processing Faciltity to prepare Soyuz-Atlantis payloads and Clare's gifts from her ground colleagues, and has trouble finding them! Two hours later, the crew complete check-in, and are driven via a coach bus to the Astronaut training facility. While the crew experiences several training exercises, including a centrifuge, thruster pack, mechanical assembly and a treadmill; engineers prepare the Soyuz-Atlantis rocket and spacecraft at the Vehicle Assembly Building and roll it out to the pad.